Method and means for cleaning out fife lines



2 Sheets-Sheet l C.A.BURNETT METHOD AND MEANS FOR CLEANING OUT PIPE LINES Filed April 16, 1925,

May is, 1927.

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May 10 9 1927,. 1,628,536

c. A. BURNETT METHOD AND MEANS FOR CLEANING OUT PIPE LINES Filed April 16, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L @m in Patented May 10, 1927 PATENT QFFICE;

CHARLES A. BURNETT, OF ELKHART, INDIANA,

METHOD AND MEANS FOR- CLEANING OUT PIPE LINES.

Application filed April 16, 1925. Serial No. 23,627.

This invention which falls in the art of Water distribution is an improved method and means for cleaning out pipe lines, water service systems and the'like which havebecome restricted by sediment, rust, etc., and when the invention is used prior to entire clogging of the pipe such completeclo ing will be prevented ahd the sediment o r the like will be washed out, leaving free passage for the water.

The invention has been devised in order to replace the laborious and expensive methods heretofore used which have included the passage of a wire cable through the pipe line to free the matter clo ging the same, and which in some instances, ave required digging and disconnection of the house piping from the main.

According to the present invention, the

pipe line or the like is cleaned out by alternately o ening and closing the line to passage of uid therethrough. This is done by' the use of a device or apparatus which includes a valve and means for alternately opening and closing the valve. The valve, of course, when in use is connected to or in the pipe line. Y

The invention is hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 isa plan view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles'of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of a portion of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the casing of the rotary valve of the ap aratus; and

igure 5 is an elevation of the valve itself removed from the casing.

' Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 represents the supporting stand of the apparatus. This stand 1 is preferably made of pipe sections coupled together by elbows or other suitable pipe fittings or couplings, and

supports a horizontal board, plate or platform 2. Rising from an intermediate portion of the platform 2 is a bearing 3. Se-

cured to one end portion of the platform 2 which-extends beyond one side of the supporting stand 1 is an electric motor 4 or other suitable means for imparting rotary motion.

As shown in the drawings, the shaft 5 of this motor 4 extends over the platform 2 and has its free end mounted in the bearing 3, and

slidably but non-rotatably mounted upon this shaft 5 is a friction pinion 6 is adjuste along the shaft 5 by means of a lever 7 which of course has connection with the pinion 6 and which is pivoted intermediate of its ends to one edge of the platform 2. The lower end of the lever 7 is formed into a handle 8, b

ment' of which it may be rocked ion 6 may be adjusted.

Mounted upon the supporting stand 1 in any suitable manner is a casing 9. Opposite sides of this casing 9 are provided with pipes 10 or other suitable means adapted for connection to or in a pipe line. In the casing 9 there is rotatably mounted a valve 11. This valve 11 is preferably in the form of a solid cylinder having one side provided with a notch 12 capable of establishln communi cation between thetwo sides of t e casing 9 and the pipes 10,, intermittently as it is rotated. One. end of the valve 11 is of reduced diameter and extends through a packing box 13 mounted at one end of the casing 9. The other end of the valve 11 is provided with a stem 14 which extends through a packing gland or bushing 15 provided at the other end of the casing 9. The stem 14 carries adj acent its free end, a disk 16, against one face of which the friction pinion 6 bears. The disk 16 is non-rotatably but slidably mounted upon the valve stem 14 and is yieldably maintained in contact with the pinion 6 by and the pininion 6. This friction the engagemeans of a coiled spring 17, this coiled spring 17 bearing against the other side of the dish 16 and the end of the packing gland or bushing 15. The stem 14 has its tree end mounted in the aforesaid bearing The numeral ldrepresents a by-pass pipe which extends around the valve casing 9 and has its ends connected to the pipe sections 1.0. Mounted in this by-pass pipe 18 is a valve 19. The valve 19 provides a means whereby the bypass pipe 18 may be opened and closed to passage oi fluid therethrough. Ordinarily, the agitating valve 11 has only a one-halt inch opening and it does not cease to operate even when the by-pass lil'is open. The machine is usually connected. to a three-fourth inch pipe and the hall inch opening in the agitating valve ll is not sufficient to allow a full flow oi" water from the three-fourth inch pipe to carry ofii all sediment, rust, etc., as rapidly as the machine loosens the same in the piping. llhereiore, the aurpose ot the lay-pass 18 is to allow a lull "our of water to pass around the agitating valve 11, allowing the sediment, rust, etc, to be carried away as rapidly as the valve 11 loosens the same. consider this by-pass one of the most essential parts of the invention, as when the sediment and the like breaks loose, it flows with the water in such quantities that the valve it would completely clog and the machine be absolutely useless, were it not for such byass. P The above described apparatus is used to clean out pipe lines or water service systems in whichthe size of the water passages have been more or less reduced by sediment, rust, etc. In using it for this purpose, it is only necessary to connect one or the other of the pipe sections 10 to or in the pipe line or service system at a suitable point. For instance, the-water meter of the house may be removed and the device may be connected at that point, or it may be attached to any faucet or cock in the system. After it has been attached and the faucets of the system have been opened, it is only necessary to set the motor 4: in operation. The motor will transmit rotary motion to the valve 11 and the latter in rotating, will open and close the pipe line or system to flow of water or fluid therethrough. This intermittent flowing of the water through the system will tend to clean out and flush the matter cloggiang the same. The speed of the valve may some cases, it may be desirable to start the valve rotating at its lowest possible speed and to {gradually work up or increase the speed 0 the valve by operating the handle. In other cases, the handle may be operated in such a manner as to alternatelyiincrease and decrease the speed of the valve. In either case, the valve will be opened and closed in rather nick succession.

The device has con thoroughly tested and has been found to operate satisfactorily i eaaquae under various conditions, and that in all cases, 1t has been instrumental in cleaning out partly clogged lines without it being necessary tor any digging to be done.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation and use of the invention will be readily understood, so that further explanation is unnecessary.

Various changes in form, proportion, and the construction and. arrangement of these parts may be made without departing from the spirit and principle of the invention and without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, so that it is to be understood that this may be done within the meaning and scope of the appended claims.

l. claim:

1. A method of cleaning a partly clogged liquid pipe of a liquid conducting system without removing said pipe from the system and using only the pressure of the systemcontained liquid supplied to said pipe, said method consisting in repeatedly opening and closing the pipe in quick succession to pas sage of said liquid, the latter being free to enter the pipe under its normal pressure when the pipe is opened to discharge loosened scale and sediment.

. 2. A method 01": cleaning a artly clogged liquid pipe of a liquid con ucting system without removing said pipe from the system and without the use of pressure other than that of the system-contained liquid supplied to said pipe, said method consisting in repeatedly opening and closing the pipe in quick succession to passage of said liquid under its normal pressure and while the pipe is open to permit discharge of loos cned scale and sediment; and by-passing some of the liquid, scale and sediment around the point at which the repeated opening and closing operations are effected.

3. A means for cleaning a partly clogged liquid pipe of a liquid conducting system without removing said pipe from the system and without the use of pressure other than that of the system-contained liquid; said means comprising a valve 0 eratively connected with the partly clogge ipe to either obstruct or permit passage 0t the systemcontained liquid therethrough, means for repeatedly opening and closing said valve in varied by operating the handle 8. In

quick succession, and a bypass around said valve for carrying ofi? some of the liquid and loosened scale, said bv-pass having a hand controlled cut-oil valve to be closed when starting the pipe cleaning operation.

4. A means for cleaning a partly clogged liquid pipe of a liquid conducting system without removing said pipe from the system and without the use of pressure other than that of the system-contained liquid;

said means comprising a stand, a valve casmg mounted on said stand and having means at o posite sides for connection with the cession, and a by-pass around said valve part y clogged pipe, a rotary valve in said casing for carrying off some of the liquid 10 casing for alternately permitting and reand loosened scale, said b -pass having a venting passage of the system-contained iqhand controlled cut-ofl' vva ve to be closed 5 uid therethrough, a motor mounted on said when starting the pipe cleaning operation.

stand, driving connections between said In testiniony whereof I have hereunto motor and said valve for rotating the latter affixed my signature.

to open and close said valve 1n quick suc- CHARLES A. BURNETT. 

